If you are a beer fan that also wants to get out of the city, there are many amazing breweries around the Midwest that you can take a mini road trip to. I’ve been spending some time in Michigan since my parents retired there so I can use their place as a home base. I’ve become fond of Grand Rapids myself, and discovered it has become a popular destination for beer fans. If you haven’t visited the city, I recommend a road trip to explore and sample some great beer. There’s also other things to do there, but I’m focusing on beer for this post.
The beer that got me into stouts and craft beer is Founder’s Breakfast Stout, so imagine how happy I was to visit the brewery in Grand Rapids…it was like coming full circle. Founder’s Brewery was opened in 1997, and was modeled after a German beer hall with a patio and beer garden, so you can enjoy your beer in different spaces. There’s also a stage so you can listen to live music there while you enjoy your beverage.
I tried the Mas Agave, Passion Fruit Gose, and Rubaeus since I was in the mood for a refreshing drink, plus it is summertime. My sister had the Green Zebra, a watermelon Gose, which I got to taste. My brothers both had stout, which I enjoyed as well. I tend to drink darker, heavier beers when the weather is colder. There is food there, but I snacked on the pretzel since I had eaten before. The brewery also has artwork hanging promoting different artists. This was my favorite stop on my Grand Rapids brewery tour since the beer was so full of flavor.
The next stop was Brewery Vivant, which is in a refurbished funeral home in Grand Rapids as well. It has the feel of a Belgian style monastery (it is actually inspired by small Belgian breweries), and focuses on Michigan farmhouse ales. I like that Vivant also uses locally sourced ingredients. Vivant is translated as “to be lively” or “to be alive,” since a visit there definitely made me feel better. The atmosphere is great, the setting is beautiful, and the staff was friendly. Hard core fans of the beer can even join the Monk Club, and get their own personalized chalice to drink from when visiting (if only I was closer). I’m a fan of the taster sizes so I tried Love Shadow, the Imperial Stout and the Tropical Saison, with pineapple and mango. My beer taste is all over the place since I like sours, stouts, porters, and other varieties of ale. Love Shadow has a coconut version coming soon so I hope there will be some the next time I visit Grand Rapids…it’s the little things in life…
Jolly Pumpkin and New Holland Brewing also have locations in Grand Rapids if you like those breweries. My siblings all wanted a picture with the dragon at New Holland. And who doesn’t want to try all the different varieties of Dragon’s Milk? Jolly Pumpkin is across the street so you can sample some tasters or do a flight…that brewery also has the best name too. Some other highly recommended breweries in the city are HopCat and Grand Rapids Brewing Co. I will definitely have to try those on my next trip since I plan on going back.
If you’re in Kalamazoo you can stop by Arcadia Brewery along the Kalamazoo River. The outdoor space along the riverfront is beautiful. Arcadia is inspired by British style beer that is brewed here in the US. The brewery is next to bike trails and pedestrian walkways that you can take a stroll along, or even go kayaking along the river. Sit outside and enjoy the scenery, and the kids can play bags while you savor your beer. This brewery had one my favorite outdoor spaces (New Glarus wins). I tried the Shipwreck Porter, and can’t wait to go back to try some of the seasonal beers on tap. All the breweries also serve food, and Arcadia is known for its barbecue so make sure you sample some of the food when visiting as well. Bell’s Brewery is also in the same town so you can head over afterwards, making Kalamazoo a good stop for beer lovers.
You can probably tell I’m a fan of Michigan so I wanted to visit another neighboring Midwest state to not only sample some beer, but find a place to get away from the city. A friend recommended New Glarus, known as “Little Switzerland,” since as you might have guessed, the town was founded by Swiss immigrants from Glarus, Switzerland in 1845.
When in New Glarus, I recommend you visit the brewery there. In 1993, Deborah and Dan founded New Glarus Brewing Company, which sells its products only in Wisconsin. It was the first brewery in the country to be founded by a woman. It also has one of the most beautiful outdoor beer patios that stretches along the property. It looks like you are sitting among ruins with a view of the sweeping hills along the country side. I tried different taster sized beers which included Kid Kolsch, Spotted Cow, the Raspberry Tart, and Two Women. The raspberry was great since it was a warm day when I visited, with the Kolsch coming in second. You can also walk along trails through the forest there.
These are some of the places I have enjoyed visiting to try some great beer while getting away from the big city life. Let me know if you have any suggestions. Also, if you like my Facebook page, there are videos from different trips you can check out. I update the Instagram WayfaringGal page with new posts too. Thank you for reading, and comments and feedback are always welcome since that is how I learn and grow.
